Three dead, 8 injured in weekend road crashes

Three people died in weekend road crashes in Northland, Auckland and Marlborough.

On Friday night, a 20-year-old man was killed in a crash on Auckland's Southwestern Motorway, between Bader Drive and Massey Rd.

Tarun Naicker was travelling in the back seat of the car which crashed in the south-bound lane about 9.45pm. He died at the scene and three other occupants were taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Police want to speak to the driver of a dark-coloured Toyota that might have been involved in the accident.

On Saturday, an elderly woman died when the car she was driving rolled 50m down a gully in a remote part of the Bay of Islands.

Police northern communications Inspector Danny Meade said the car failed to take a bend and rolled on Russell Rd in Whangaruru, north of Whangarei, about 2.50pm. The woman, believed to be in her 70s, died at the scene.

A 17-year-old man died and five other teenagers were injured in a single-vehicle crash near Picton on Saturday night.

Detective Kris Payne said the double-cab ute the group was travelling in went off the road into a ditch on State Highway 1 at Koromiko, 8km southwest of Picton, about 10.20pm.

Mr Payne said all of the Picton occupants were younger than 18. A 17-year-old man was taken to Wellington Hospital in a critical condition and four others suffered minor to moderate injuries.

- NZPA